Pensive
by Enigmatic Ethereality
Summary: Sakura and Ino couldn't be more different. They say opposites attract, but Ino questions what's really keeping them together while Sakura falls apart.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.  
Rated: MA for language and sexual themes. **

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

Ino laughed as the lady in the movie, obviously a man dressed in drag, offered to help the girl become beautiful—he wasn't a very attractive woman himself. (1) Temari observed that Ino's laughter was a bit harsh, but it was certainly fitting for the beautiful blonde and she had grown to love her laugh. Her laugh filled and expanded within the room, touching everything.

"Oh," Ino laughed, "that was gross."

"Wait, what?" Temari asked, realizing she wasn't really paying attention to what was happening on the screen.

"Did you not see that guy with his finger up his nose that whole time?" Ino asked, still trying to shake off her laughter, but failing quite terribly at the simple task. Temari just smiled at the joyful girl and shook her head. She watched with fond eyes, admiring Ino more and more as they spent time together.

Catching the look in Temari's eye, Ino blushed. She knew the other woman had been developing some feelings for her and she didn't quite know what to do. Temari was certainly attractive; the mere intensity of her forest green eyes was enough to make her lose her breath. She had a powerfully overwhelming presence and a frank attitude; there was nothing that seemed to scare her. A party animal like her would do anything, and that's why Ino wasn't surprised when Temari leant forward to kiss her.

When Ino leant backwards to prevent it from happening, Temari's expression relayed a passive confusion instead of hurt. She exhaled slowly, her warmth spreading across Ino's chin and lips sensually. Ino pulled away further from Temari and the other blonde's eyebrow shot up, silently questioning.

"Too soon?" she asked, while offering a curious hand gesture.

"I… um, no. Not too soon… I have a girlfriend."

"Wait, what? When did that happen?"

"Forever ago… I can't believe you didn't know…" Ino looked a bit offended and Temari brushed some sandy blonde hair out of her eyes.

"You never said anything about a girlfriend!"

"Well, I have one, so there," Ino huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Are you sure you're not just playing hard to get," Temari suggested, winking at Ino.

"Really Temari," Ino giggled, tucking a lock of pale blonde hair behind her ear.

"Well who is it? Was it that cute brunette you were dancing with at the club last week?"

"What? I don't even remember that night," Ino laughed. "I was so fucked up…"

Temari regarded her closely, catching the last half of that which she had mumbled to herself and forcing back a laugh. Yeah, Ino had gotten wasted that night, she remembered quite well.

"Well who is it then? Do I know her?"

"It's Sakura, silly."

"Wait… you mean your creepy, anti-social roommate who's sitting outside by herself in the dark?"

"Oh come on, she's not creepy, she just likes to keep to herself," Ino defended, taking offense for Sakura who was indeed sitting outside, listening to her iPod. She often downloaded her reading assignments for her class and she'd listen to them when she had the time. She claimed she liked the fresh air and the darkness was easy on her eyes and head. Prone to frequent headaches, Ino had no objections to something that kept her girlfriend healthy.

In an appalled manner Temari exclaimed, "Sakura? Seriously? But you two are so wrong for each other."

At first, when Temari met Sakura (through Ino, of course) she thought she'd be fun and outgoing like her roommate—what else was she to expect from a girl with pink hair. Sakura turned out to be a big disappointment. The girl was always busy and she seemed annoyed to even see Temari around the apartment. She never went out and was always doing work. After being condescendingly rejected by Sakura when she asked her if she wanted to join Ino and herself at the club, Temari had decided she didn't really like the girl. She was nothing like Ino.

"We love each other," Ino said, shrugging.

"But she's so… empty and cold… and boring," Temari just couldn't believe it. Nothing could convince her. She got nothing but bad vibes from Sakura—she didn't like her one bit, and it wasn't as if she hadn't tried to be friends with her.

"I like her, so there. Either we can keep watching this movie, or you can leave," the evidence of insult was the only thing detectable in Ino's voice. How dare Temari talk about Sakura that way? She didn't know Sakura very well, nor did she understand Sakura very well. That's just how she was, but she was kind to Ino, and she truly did love her.

"I think… I think I'll leave. Sorry for imposing," Temari said before standing up. She put on her jacket and left the living room of the apartment through the front door. There she passed Sakura who was sitting on the steps listening to her iPod in the darkness—the only illumination around was the dim yellow tinted light outside of their apartment and their neighbor's apartment that only seemed good for attracting pathetic moths.

"Goodnight," she heard Sakura say very softly, with a lethargic wave in her direction. Temari was too annoyed with Sakura, and the situation she had found herself in, to even be polite and wave a farewell back to the girl.

Tired emerald eyes watched the girl make her way down the steps and she had to wonder what exactly had occurred inside of her apartment for Temari to leave a mere hour after arriving with Ino. She was always suspicious of the girl, but nothing strange seemed to be occurring, so she left it alone. She felt as if the girl wanted to stake some sort of claim on Ino, but Sakura had faith in her relationship with Ino. She had nothing but faith in the girl. Maybe they didn't have the same interests, but that didn't make them incompatible.

She contently stared out into the darkness of the night, slightly chilly from the night air, but enjoying the feel of it against her skin nonetheless. Ino joined her moments after, looking a bit bummed out and thoughtful. The blonde wrapped an arm around her waist and rested her head against her shoulder, comfortable in Sakura's silence and physical warmth.

The women retired to bed a half hour later with Ino a bit bubbly from the caffeinated beverage she had been drinking while Temari was visiting. Sakura was done with her recorded lesson and was ready for bed. After they both showered and dressed for bed, they slipped beneath the comforter and settled in. Ino tried her best to fall asleep in the darkness, listening to Sakura breathe, but she knew it wasn't possible and wouldn't be possible for a little while longer. She turned to lookt at her girlfriend to check if she was sleeping and was met by a not so surprising sight.

It was dark but Ino could see her clearly, for the streetlight outside had cast a faint orange glow against Sakura's pale face. Her eyes were open, tiredly, faintly there, staring out into the darkness. Ino had observed that Sakura had been doing this every night for the past two weeks… Did she ever fall asleep? It didn't seem like it; the darkness beneath her eyes betrayed any moment of sleep she might've thieved from the night.

This was the worst Ino had ever seen it, Sakura's insomnia and pensiveness. Sakura had always been a very pensive person, and she was incredibly smart and studious as well. She used to stay up late either doing homework, or silently thinking to herself about things, going over information she had gained over the day, she guessed. She didn't really know…

"Was that weird?" Ino thought to herself, concerned about her lover. Was something wrong with her...? Was Sakura unhappy with their relationship? Everyone else seemed to be. It was as if everyone she met thought that they were a strange couple. It didn't make sense to her—she was very happy with Sakura. They hardly ever argued… things were easy and they seemed compatible. What was so strange about them dating?

In fact, when they were younger, they had been the best of friends. Best friends since age five to around age thirteen. It was then that they both had taken a liking to the same boy and had fought over him. He had ruined their friendship… no; they had ruined their own friendship. Ino had genuinely liked him for a while, but not very long. By the time she was willing to admit she had no interest in him whatsoever, Sakura had challenged her and said that she would get him to date her. It was then that they fell out and then they went separate ways for schooling.

It was a huge coincidence that they ran into one another in college. Sakura was studying biology and medicine and she was studying environmental science. A pre-med student and a green scientist—one would think they had nothing in common. Yet, when they met, Sakura was polite and courteous. She was easygoing and they just hit it off well. Sakura asked her if she was available to get a drink later on that night, to catch up, and Ino agreed.

Later that night their past was looked back upon and laughed at. Sakura admitted that she hadn't even liked Sasuke at all, and she was only acting that way because she didn't want him to develop an interest in Ino. She didn't want to lose her best friend and she kind of had a silly crush on Ino too; a case of hero-worship gone wrong.

The two let the alcohol loosen their lips, speaking freely with one another as if nothing had been lost for five years.

Ino asked about Sakura's love life; she asked if she belonged to a special guy.

Sakura explained to her, quite briefly, that she wasn't interested in guys and she'd rather not discuss her sexuality for fear of discomfort. She then turned the question around on Ino and the blonde said she was still playing the field and that she really was beginning to become very skeptical of love. Sakura agreed, mentioning how she didn't have much time for relationships anyways.

The blonde girl couldn't make sense of anything that transpired between them really. It was sudden and very strange, but she developed very strong feelings for Sakura. The emerald-eyed girl seemed to do the same and they began what felt like dating, without the title. Eventually, Sakura asked to make it official and also asked if they could move in together.(2) Ino didn't see a point in them moving in together other than the fact that Sakura couldn't take care of herself even if she wanted to. There was many an occasion that she found herself at Sakura's apartment making dinner for them both. The girl wouldn't eat otherwise—she forgot to eat every now and then because of her working hard to secure the internship required for her to graduate.

Sakura was a very loving person, however, and Ino enjoyed taking care of her. When she moved in, everything seemed pretty perfect. Sakura was willing to go out with her every now and then, if assignments permitted her, and she was a fantastic partner… That was until Ino began to notice a trend in Sakura's temperament. The green eyed girl would have random moments when she'd seem highly irritable or depressed and she'd often have trouble sleeping during those times. At first, they happened once a month, so Ino took it as Sakura just being moody because of menstruation. A little later, however, it began to happen more frequently. Twice a month. Three times a month. And now… now it was all the time, it seemed. Sakura didn't want to do anything. Sakura worked, nonstop now.

Despite this change in temperament, it was obvious Sakura still loved her. It was obvious in the way she looked at Ino, or the way she kissed Ino. The blonde girl would often wake up for class to find flowers next to her on the bed and when Sakura came home from work, she'd often try to muster up enough energy to entertain Ino at night; Ino thought she was a fantastic friend and an even better lover. No one could love her, emotionally and physically, like Sakura did.

With that thought Ino gently took Sakura's hand into her own and the other girl turned her head to gaze at Ino. There was a brief look of pain on Sakura's face, and the blonde wondered very shortly what the girl had been thinking about to cause her that sort of pain. Her thoughts were short lived, however, because Sakura smiled gently at her and brought her fingertips to her lips to kiss. The look of love in Sakura's eyes was irrefutable.

Ino offered Sakura a mischievous smile before pulling herself closer to Sakura to kiss her softly on the lips. It was mere moments before the two women found themselves lost in one another between the sheets.

* * *

1- Shaolin Soccer allusion? Yes please.  
2- Lesbian stereotype: WE JUST MET. LET'S MOVE IN TOGETHER!  
This is what my friends and I call "Lez Speed". Ino and Sakura move at the Speed of Lez. :D (Please, don't even think about getting offended. Just chuckle and use the term yourself.)

**

* * *

AN: Merry Christmas**

**-E.E.**


	2. Chapter 2

**********Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

******Rated: MA for language and sexual themes.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The phone rang three times and Ino wondered if the girl would even answer.

"Hey babe," the voice in the receiver answered playfully.

"Hi Temari," Ino laughed in response, "I need someone to talk to… some things have been on my mind—could you possibly come over?"

"I'm not sure… I mean, if we're only going to be talking…"

"Temari!"

"Ok, ok," the sandy blonde sighed, "I'll be over in a second."

"Cool, I'll see you soon then?"

"Yeah. And put on something sexy."

She hung up before Ino could reply and the blonde girl rolled her eyes before putting the phone down. Temari was certainly something else… The girl exuded sexual confidence and it really wasn't something she was too used to. Whatever the case, she knew she enjoyed it. It was as if everything about Temari drew her in; her dirty blonde blond hair in wild styles, the intensity of her deep green eyes, the huskiness of her voice, the firmness of her toned body. She was physically attracted to Temari, but that wasn't enough to make her…

What in the world was she thinking?

Shaking her head, Ino forced herself to rid her mind of those thoughts and focused on tidying up the apartment. If she didn't watch herself, she'd have even more relationship problems, and she didn't really need those. Did she even have relationship problems?

Temari arrived at the apartment rather quickly, but she did live only a couple of minutes away. The sun was setting and the atmosphere was a bit chillier than it had been previously. As Temari stepped in, she shed her blue jacket quite readily, however, for the apartment was warm. Sakura liked it warm and Ino had no objections.

"So," Temari said, flopping down on the couch. "What did you want to talk about?"

Ino took a seat beside her and understood that Temari was only trying to be a good friend—she would refuse bringing up any of the events that had previously occurred between them. Unfortunately for her, that was exactly what Ino wanted to talk about.

"I want your opinion on this; your honest opinion. Can you do that?" Ino asked gently, and Temari looked a bit worried.

"Sure, but you know I'm a bit too honest for my own good… Are you sure I'm the one you want to talk with?"

"Yes," Ino smiled comfortingly and then brushed her bangs out of her face, by habit. "Ok, so I just want to know why you think Sakura and I aren't a good match."

Temari gave a wry, lopsided smile and sighed gently.

"I'm sorry if I offended you with what I said before… I can get a bit passionate when it comes to not getting what I want."

Dark green gazed very briefly into light blue and Ino blushed before quickly glancing away.

"I just feel like she doesn't properly compliment your aura and your energy. It's like, here you are, you're this great, wonderful, brave, and exciting person and you're dating this person that's pretty much the complete opposite of who you are. I know they say opposites attract, but I don't understand how or why. Maybe that's how it works in physics and chemistry, but not in romance. I apologize for saying this, but I can't see the love in your relationship at all."

"Temari, Sakura loves me."

"How do you know? Does she tell you?"

"I couldn't begin to explain how I know… I just feel that she loves me. She tells me every now and then and she'll do cute little things that are thoughtful to show that she's thinking about me. I just feel like she wouldn't put up with me and my personality if she didn't love me the way I love her."

"Then why are you even worried about this and what I think?"

Temari pinned her with attentive eyes, and it was then that Ino noticed that they were more on the side of teal instead of green. Hurriedly, she collected her thoughts to speak, worried that the other girl would think that she didn't know the answer to her question. A quick breath marred with frustration and worry slipped from the girl's lips before she answered.

"It's just… you seem… I mean, lately, Sakura's been so… well, exactly as you described her. She hasn't always been so reserved and quiet and… I think she's depressed, and I don't know why, and it's scaring me. What if she doesn't love me as she used to—maybe that's why she's unhappy. She's always in her mind, zoned out, pensive…"

"Ask her what's on her mind," Temari suggested, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Ino smiled wryly, again feeling the weight of what she already knew compressing upon her being. Sakura would never tell her. That wasn't in Sakura's nature, and so she never bothered. A relationship was all about give and take, but Ino knew what she'd be given and what she wouldn't be given. A ticket into the mind of Sakura Haruno was one of those things she'd never expect to be awarded. She'd long abandoned her anger over the fact that her pretty pink-haired girlfriend refused to let her in too deeply—she bent this way to her, and mused about how their roles had been reversed long ago. It seemed as if Sakura was calling the shots, but at times failed to bark out orders at all.

"She'd never tell me," Ino whispered and Temari twisted her lips impatiently.

"Have you tried?" the older woman sighed lightly, fighting away her annoyance at the other blonde. Why was she making things hard on herself? It was as if she didn't really want a successful relationship at all. Would Ino be the type to hide behind false circumstances to end a relationship? And what would she gain, anyways? Perhaps it was freedom from a dissatisfying relationship the younger blonde was seeking.

With that final thought, Temari came to the conclusion that she wouldn't feel guilty about pursuing the beautiful blonde. She didn't like Sakura much anyways—why did she care if she experienced loss?

After moments of silence, Ino spoke.

"I used to ask, but she refused to answer. I'd given up after a while."

Temari was genuinely intrigued by the situation at hand and felt a small spark of curiosity in regards to her current love interest's girlfriend. "What could the broody little thing be hiding?" she thought to herself.

The younger blonde sighed, her ice blue eyes downcast with a sour expression displayed on her face. Temari was tempted to reach over and rub away the wrinkles that had appeared between her eyebrows, but left them be, opting to drape her arm across Ino's shoulders and pull her close for a hug. She gave the girl a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

Ino made no move to pull away from Temari and the older woman was content with just holding her. A fresh, clean scent persistently clung to Ino and Temari likened it to being out in a field of flowers, but the scent wasn't overpowering. It was comforting and faintly allaying.

The moment seemed intimate, and Temari smiled while releasing a breath loudly, almost as if sighing. Leaning in for a kiss, she was surprised to see Ino flinch, as if she hadn't seen it coming. Opting for the cheek, Temari is already heading to the door and away from Ino whose momentary anger at the kiss dissipated once she saw her friend was leaving. She'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't even seen Temari's initial descent for a kiss.

"Are you leaving?" Ino asked, suddenly feeling cold due to the loss of body heat.

Temari waited a moment before answering, as if carefully picking her words, but this pause only lasted a quick beat.

"I'm not used to rejection," she said to the blonde who had yet to move from her spot on the couch.

She unlocked the door and pulled it open, only to see the woman who had been the topic of their discussion standing in the dimly lit hallway with her keys in her hand poised to enter the lock. The blonde quickly gave Sakura a once over, noting that the girl's bag was barely large enough for her textbooks, let alone pencils and the like. Sakura was cradling another bag to her chest and seemed to be struggling with keeping her things in check. The two stared tensely at one another for a long moment and Temari wondered what the pink haired girl was thinking—she couldn't glean much of anything from Sakura's slack expression. Rolling her eyes she cleared her throat and the younger girl realized she was in the way, awkwardly shuffling to her right to let the woman pass. Temari said nothing, but heard a soft yet edgy, "Have a good night," from Sakura as she began her descent down the metal staircase. Her footsteps echoed loudly and Sakura stepped into her apartment and kicked the door shut gently. She dropped her duffle bag onto the floor unceremoniously and slipped her bag off of her shoulder, sighing in relief. Textbooks were items that, when plentiful, could make her feel as if she were carrying about a bag of bricks. (1)

"Good evening," she said to Ino, quickly heading into their room to get to the shower. She shed her maroon scrubs and fell into her daily routine of ridding herself of the hospital.

While she was patching up an automobile accident patient in the ER with stitches she was forced to hear a woman's anguished screaming over losing her husband in the next room. The sound was tormenting her and she couldn't—she just couldn't—get the din of loss out of her head. She could imagine that woman had loved her husband very much. She couldn't imagine the loss… how unbearable it had to have been. Tears caught in her eyes at the thought of losing Ino that way; losing Ino forever.

The water was far too warm, but she didn't care.

Stepping out of the shower into the thick fog of the bathroom Sakura fought back the urge to sneeze and grabbed a towel to wrap around herself. She chuckled at the thought of Ino's first knowledge of her super hot showers and how Ino had compared her skin to a thick animal hide. (2) Sakura had feigned insult and Ino had kissed her, gently running her fingers down the woman's bare sides. She felt Sakura tremble beneath her fingertips and kissed her again, gently, on the neck, causing the her breath to catch in her throat.

"_Even my thick skin can't protect me from your effect,"_ Sakura had whispered to her.

Gone, were her thoughts of the ER—replaced by thoughts of her wonderful girlfriend. A smile came to her lips and hurriedly got dressed and made her way out into the living room. Ino was sitting there on the couch. It was as if she hadn't moved since Sakura had returned, but the fact that Sakura's things were packed neatly away and that there was dinner on the kitchen table were evidence against that.

"Just pasta tonight," Ino said apologetically. She'd completely forgotten to prepare dinner.

"Sounds good to me," Sakura replied, bending over to kiss the blonde gently on the cheek. "It's so good to come home to you. You hardly ever ask much of me."

Ino blushed and quickly turned to smile in appreciation at Sakura.

"How was class today?" Sakura asked, while they were finishing up their meal.

"Cancelled," Ino replied, taking her plate over to the sink, "so I went in to the lab earlier today. Got done early too. Got to relax a bit."

"That's good," Sakura replied, wondering how Ino spent her free time. Apparently with Temari, and not cooking dinner. But, who was she to complain? Without Ino, she'd be having sandwiches every night. Or worse, microwave pizza. Whatever Ino could provide, she'd take with a smile.

However, Temari, no… she couldn't take her with a smile. In fact, half the time it took everything within her power to not assault the girl and throw her down the stairs outside. Temari obviously wanted to stake some claim on Ino, and despite the fact the girl didn't show any signs of wanting to bite the bait, she couldn't help but worry. What if Temari did begin to appeal to Ino? What if Ino decided to break up with her? What if Ino left her?

Ino grabbed Sakura's plate from the table, worried about how quickly Sakura had slipped into her mind. The green-eyed girl didn't even notice that Ino had taken her plate and Ino startled her out of her thoughts after a few moments.

"What are you thinking about?" Ino asked with faux indifference. She dried her hands on a towel and tucked her bangs behind her ear. Waiting for a reply, she bit her lip gently, worried that perhaps Sakura would meet her question with hostility.

"I… I'd rather not share."

"Please Sakura. I just want to know… can't you tell me? I hardly ask you for anything."

Sakura's eyes met Ino's as she turned her words around on her. Something about those sky blue eyes, swirling with concern, cracked away at her resolve much faster than usual.

"I was thinking about us… breaking up."

And it wasn't even a second after the words were uttered that Ino's eyes began to water with unshed tears and Sakura felt incredibly guilty.

"But then I was thinking about how cold and empty my life would be without you. How devastated I would be without you. How I'd have nothing left. I don't think I'd ever want to break up with you Ino."

The blonde was silent and Sakura looked away for a moment with an incredible blush across her cheeks. She berated herself for even saying that much and proceeded to get up from the table and heading back into the living room, but not before grabbing Ino's hand. She pulled them down onto the couch and slipped her arm around Ino's slim waist.

Ino hadn't replied to what Sakura had said because she just didn't know how. Taking a deep, quivering breath, she kissed Sakura gently on the neck.

"I won't ever leave you," she whispered, pushing herself against the pink haired girl warmly. Sakura's arms wrapped tightly around the blonde's body, as if in a physical attempt to keep her from ever leaving her. Even with that vocal confirmation, Sakura still felt a seed of doubt, and hoped that her love was good enough for Ino.

* * *

1- A laptop and a 1400+ page textbook is the ULTIMATE BACKBREAKER. Really though.  
2- I take really hot showers. So, when I'm done there's a lot of steam and I sneeze. I kind of miss my super hot water back home. I think that's what I'm looking forward to most after being done with the semester. lol

**AN: So... sorry it took so long to update. I was all, "OH HAI, THSS NEW CHAPTAH WUL BE-YUP INA WEYUK" and then a week + a month passed and I hadn't posted it. I'm currently battling the evils of Organic Chemistry and Calculus 2. I say there's a hellmouth at my school and there's something called Academic Demise that's seeping out of it... Aside from fending off the evils of an awful GPA, I've been 5-by-5 (Jesus, I've been watching too much Buffy). Anyways, my first year in college will be over in a week! You know what that means! More time to write, I guess... I'll be taking summer classes, but whatever! I'll have time to write. Just for you wonderful people.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!  
-E.E. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Please reread the first 2 chapters if you can't remember what's going on. It's been a while, so no hard feelings.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"You can't really think she's thinking about you all the time, can you?" Temari questioned, failing to hide the exasperation in her voice.

"Well, I asked her and that's what she said. Don't act all disappointed now."

Ino had run into Temari on her way home, having stopped at the gas station nearby to fill up her tank. Apparently her friend had stopped for a soda, which she had been taking sips of as they sat together on the couch.

"She must be lying."

"She wouldn't lie to me." Ino pursed her lips knowing that Sakura probably withheld information from her, but would never blatantly lie to her face.

Temari sighed, annoyed. She had to admit that she'd been anxiously awaiting Ino's report on what transpired between her and Sakura. She'd expected some deep, dark secret to be revealed. Like maybe Sakura had done something at work that ruined her chances at becoming a medical professional. Perhaps she had tested drugs on some unwilling patient? Mixed up someone's medication? Slapped a baby? But no, instead she got a sickeningly sweet response from Ino about Sakura's undying love—about how the very thought of Ino consumed her to the point of worrying about the health of their relationship so much that it kept her up at night.

She had to be lying. She had to be. And if she was lying, what was she hiding?

"I just don't see what you see in her."

"She's hard working and she loves me, that's what I see in her." The blonde girl rolled her eyes, somewhat frustrated with the fact Temari failed to see that her girlfriend loved her a lot.

"She's so boring though!"

"Ok, and?" At this Temari laughed, setting down her soda and wiping away the condensation the bottle left on her palms. This girl was so stubborn, and she loved it.

"I'm not boring!"

Ino giggled at Temari's advances. The blonde gave that lopsided smirk that Ino was becoming very fond of.

"You don't give up either."

"Are you going to give me a chance then?"

Silence filled the air between them and Temari caught Ino's gaze. She admired those blue eyes so much and just wanted a chance. That was all.

"I can't," Ino said reluctantly, never breaking eye contact with the other woman. She realized now that she wanted to, but she couldn't. She couldn't do that to Sakura.

"Friends with benefits? C'mon. I'll never leave you wanting."

Ino's heart pounded hard, and she wondered if this would be considered cheating. Well, duh, of course it was cheating yet…

There was something ridiculously attractive about Temari and her persistence. And something ridiculously attractive about her lips when she was smiling at her the way she was at that moment.

And that was how she ended up kissing the other girl.

And that was how Sakura found them.

"Ino, I was wondering if…"

Sakura's words trailed from her lips.

Ino, shocked, pushed Temari, away. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening.

Sakura clenched her eyes shut and shifted on her feet. She looked uneasy, and her mouth had fallen open slightly from her initial shock. Finally, she turned suddenly, offering a quick, "I'm sorry," and stiffly walked back into the hallway. Ino heard the door shut, despite her girlfriend's obvious attempt to shut it as quietly as possible. She felt Temari relax a bit beside her, but she was silently trying to keep herself from hyperventilation.

"I didn't know she was home!" Ino gasped, near tears.

Temari reached forward to wrap a comforting arm around Ino, but the blue eyed girl pushed away her arm and pushed her farther away by pressing her hands against her shoulders. She needed Temari as far away from her as possible.

"Ino, sweetheart, calm down."

Temari was met by an incredulous blue glare but she merely shrugged.

"Really, just chill. She doesn't seem mad… It's not like we were fucking."

"Can you leave?" Before the other woman could protest, Ino added, "Please?"

"Ok, fine. But if you need anything, or if things get out of hand, call me ok?"

At this point, the other blonde could only nod her response. Grabbing her soda bottle and her keys, she gave her friend one last worried look and exited the house.

Ino stood up and then sat back down. What could she possibly say to Sakura to explain? What could make any of this seem less awful than it was. She'd been caught red handed. Would Sakura be mad with her? Would she want to break up?

"What have I done?" Ino cried to herself, pressing her hand to her mouth.

Sakura wasn't fairing any better than Ino.

It had been a long while. She really couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd been this mad, furious, frustrated, and upset. She couldn't stop her trembling. She couldn't catch her breath. Her eyes we going in and out of focus. And yet, all of these physical reactions, and she wasn't punching faces in—not making a sound.

The lights were off, and the room was almost completely dark, except for the jaundiced tint of the street lamps filtering in through the slats of the blinds. There was a faint glow coming in from underneath the door. She'd been staring at it since she'd sat down on the bed, watching and waiting for any sign of Ino.

She wasn't ready to have the conversation she knew she had to have with her girlfriend. She felt unprepared. And felt stupid for feeling that way, because Temari had been pushing her way into Ino's life more and more, and she knew she'd try… she just didn't know Ino would go for it so easily.

Her heart jumped into her throat when she saw Ino's shadow from beneath the door. But the blonde didn't enter their room. In fact, she stood there for several minutes. Sakura's breathing was shallow. Her thoughts were ripping through her mind and she buried her hands into her hair, tugging gently at the pink strands. She could keep her temper in check. She could do it. She could forgive Ino… right? She didn't want to hurt the girl or do anything she'd regret. She'd already been down that path and didn't want anything else on her conscious.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Ino opened the door slowly. Light poured into the room and Sakura's body went rigid where she sat, her hands dropping down and resting on her knees. Her mouth felt dry and when Ino flipped on the light and she got a good look at her girlfriend's tear reddened eyes and pink face her throat tightened up too. They stared at one another for a while before Ino finally took a deep breath strode over to where Sakura was sitting and knelt before her, tucking her legs beneath her body.

"Sakura," was the only thing she said, but her blue eyes were frantic and worried and still very wet.

"I… um, I wanted to know if you… wanted to get take-out for dinner."

Blonde eyebrows furrowed, confused.

"What?"

"For dinner. I was asking about dinner. At least, I wanted to ask about dinner."

Sakura's voice was barely there. It was faint and breathless.

Ino's blue eyes were confused and seemed to be struggling with catching Sakura's gaze. Her lips parted, but she didn't know what to say. How could she apologize?

"Sakura, babe, I'm sorry." It was then Sakura finally stared at her. Ino looked away guiltily, finding it impossible to acknowledge the anger and sadness in her girlfriend's emerald eyes and knowing that she was the cause. She saw that Sakura's knuckles were turning white. She was clenching her fists so tight. Carefully, Ino covered one fist with her hand only to find that the other woman was trembling.

"It won't happen again. I promise it won't happen again. I love you too much. I'm so sorry," the words spilled from Ino's lips as she laid her head on Sakura's thighs.

"I'm so sorry," she repeated again, pressing her cheek tighter against Sakura's taught legs.

How long they sat in that position, neither knew, but slowly Sakura's body relaxed and her breathing became deeper and her body stopped trembling. Ino finally stood, embarrassed by the wet spot her tears had left on the other woman's pajama pants, and sat very close to her girlfriend. Sakura turned to look at her, a strange expression on her face, one that Ino wasn't sure she'd ever seen before. Instead of questioning it, she scooted forward and tried to press a kiss to the woman's lips. Sakura turned her face, her mind still on the fact that Temari had just been kissing Ino moments before. The kiss landed on her cheek. Ino frowned, and then sighed, knowing that this reaction was much less worse than the one she actually deserved.

"I'm going—" her voice broke, and she cleared her throat. "I'm going to take a shower now. I feel kind of gross."

Sakura made a small noise in the back of her throat in response, and then took another deep breath, releasing it slowly.

"I'm going to go pick up some food."

And with that she stood and rummaged around the room for her wallet, cell phone, and keys.

"Sakura, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. I feel so—"

"Can you not? Can we just… forget about it? Please?" The pink haired woman paused by the door, waiting for a response.

Ino's heart sunk as guilt filled her chest. Sakura's voice sounded so little, so tired.

"Ok," she finally said, and with that, Sakura left, shutting the door quietly behind her.

* * *

**AN: I'm back. There's more of this story to come and I'm working on a Glee story, just because I can. I apologize for the YEARS of hiatus. I don't have an explanation for you. I'll post again soon if I have access to internet. (I'm traveling at the moment).**


End file.
